diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index ecd09db..6c2b2bd 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -846,6 +846,28 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * Set open flags for aio engine
+ *
+ * Return 0 on success, -1 if the engine specified is invalid
+ */
+int bdrv_parse_aio(const char *mode, int *flags)
+{
+    if (!strcmp(mode, "threads")) {
+        /* do nothing, default */
+    } else if (!strcmp(mode, "native")) {
+        *flags |= BDRV_O_NATIVE_AIO;
+#ifdef CONFIG_LINUX_IO_URING
+    } else if (!strcmp(mode, "io_uring")) {
+        *flags |= BDRV_O_IO_URING;
+#endif
+    } else {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+/**
  * Set open flags for a given discard mode
  *
  * Return 0 on success, -1 if the discard mode was invalid.